Woman who faked son's cancer must serve 18 months, pay restitution

1:14 AM,
May 7, 2014

Emily Creno was sentenced to 18 months in prison Tuesday after changing her plea to no contest and was found guilty of child endangerment and theft. Creno was accused of faking her son's cancer diagnosis.

Written by

Bethany Bruner
Advocate Reporter

Emily Creno said it began as a way to get her husband back and then spiraled out of control. She continually took her 4-year-old son to doctors and misrepresented his symptoms, convincing the child he was dying and receiving donations from well-meaning people.

Creno's attorney, Cristopher Cooper, said Creno thought that if her husband wouldn't come back for her sake, "he would come back for the sake of the child and they would reconcile."

On Tuesday morning, Licking County Common Pleas Judge Thomas Marcelain told Creno he believed the scam was more than a plan to reconcile. Because of that, ...